Olympic short track speed skater Jordan Malone relies on his dog, Oly, to manage his mood! Our furbabies do the same for us.
Link to the video
News
February 27, 2010
February 14, 2010
February 13, 2010
November 10, 2009
Jaguar, The Big Boss Maltese, 1997 - 2009
Jag passed away around 3:30 AM MT, on Friday, November 6th, 2009. Roy and Tiffany had to take him to Emergency at 2 AM, but there was nothing that could be done. Jag is now with CoCo, Sundog, and many other friends in doggy heaven.
Jag was born in Taipei, Taiwan, on May 5th, 1997. He was the big boss of the litter. He got his name from the way he stalked the rag when Mom was cleaning the kitchen floor. In English, it was Jaguar and in Mandarin it sounded like Ja Ga. His nickname became Jag in English and Ga Ga in Mandarin.
He followed Roy to Canada in 2001. After a long flight, with only a short stop in Vancouver, he bounced out of his kennel in Calgary for a joyful reunion with Roy as if he'd just been having a nap. He was happy to trade the heat and humidity of the big city for a place where he could go for walks on the grass. He loved walks and never seemed to get tired when he was outside. He especially loved Glenmore Park.
He remained the big boss throughout his life. He always patrolled the apartment balcony, alert for the jingling of dog tags, so he could yell down and warn the intruder to move on. Dog walkers would always look up, smiling expectantly, as they waited for him to make his appearance. He would poke his head through the railing and glare down three storeys at the interloper, no matter how much bigger than him it was.
He was extremely well behaved. Roy even taught him to roll over! Whenever Roy and Tiffany went out, he would retire quietly to his crate to patiently await their return. He had almost no separation anxiety.
Jag was obsessed with toys! He loved to play, but only he knew the rules to his games. To him, the best thing in the world was to get a new toy, the noisier the better. He would go without food and sleep for a day or two after so he could play with it around the clock. When he did finally fall asleep, he would use the toy as a pillow so no one could take it while he was napping.
Jaguar had a face right out of a comic book - his nose and eyes seemed extra large. He bore a striking resemblance to Disney's Bolt in appearance and manner. He was the most expressive and moody dog. His face would always show you if he was happy, excited, sad, bored, angry, or anxious. When he felt unfairly treated, he'd go grumbling back to his crate. Jag was a master of drama; there was never any doubt about how he was feeling! His goofy grin always made us laugh.
He was Roy's best bud and Tiffany's darling angel. He lived a very happy life and in return brought us much joy. We will always remember him with a smile.
September 01, 2009
Calgary to Introduce Pet Licence Rewards Program
The City of Calgary wants to introduce a pet licence reward program. This is an attempt to increase compliance with the city's licensing by-law. Each year when they mail out your annual licence, they'd send you a rewards card giving you discounts at participating local businesses.
Has anyone heard of a program like this in another city? Please let us know!
The city operates an animal shelter which is separate from the Calgary Humane Society. If a city bylaw officer picks up a stray (or lost animal), it goes to the city shelter. The Humane Society is a not-for-profit society. It employs peace officers with the power to enforce Alberta's Animal Protection Act. If someone can no longer care for an animal and wants to surrender it, they can take it to the Humane Society, but not to the city. Both have an adoption service. I think there is some cooperation between the two, but I don't know the details. (Off topic, I have to mention that there are also many volunteer rescue societies operating in the city as well.)
One fantastic benefit of the city licence is that it helps lost cats and dogs get home! Each tag has a unique ID number, and even if the pet gets lost without the tag, the city also keeps track of microchip numbers and ID tattoos. Contact info is updated annually when the licence is renewed, which doesn't happen with other registries. When we found a Yorkie wandering in the park, the city was able to identify her and get her back home!
